Kolkata
-Swastika Sruti
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha members joining the Bharatiya Janata Party has given Bengal politics a fresh flashpoint ahead of the next phase of political mobilisation in the state. Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the Upper House before switching sides, giving the BJP a high-visibility defection story against the ruling TMC.
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha members, Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the BJP, escalating political tensions in West Bengal and providing the BJP with talking points, including Ray’s allegations of political intimidation.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announced their induction into the party and described it as a sign of growing confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the BJP’s policies. For the BJP, the move is not just about three leaders changing parties. It gives the party new talking points on governance, political intimidation and internal unease within the TMC.
Why the TMC-BJP switch matters in Bengal
The timing is politically significant because the resignations came before the Parliament’s Monsoon Session. The BJP has been trying to sharpen its attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, especially on law and order, corruption allegations and governance. Former TMC leaders crossing over allow the party to argue that criticism is now coming from those who were once inside the ruling camp.
However, defections alone do not automatically change electoral arithmetic in West Bengal. The TMC continues to have a strong organisational network across districts, while the BJP remains its principal challenger. The political value of these inductions will depend on whether the new entrants can bring workers, social influence or regional reach with them.
Who is Sushmita Dev?
Sushmita Dev is among the more recognisable faces in this group. Born on September 25, 1972, she began her political career with the Congress and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Silchar in Assam in 2014. She also served as the national president of the All India Mahila Congress, giving her a national profile within opposition politics.
Dev lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Silchar to BJP candidate Rajdeep Roy. She later left the Congress and joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021. The TMC sent her to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal, using her as one of its prominent faces beyond Bengal, especially in the North East political space.
After joining the BJP, Dev said the development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in states with “double-engine” governments could not be denied. She said West Bengal could witness a major change if the BJP was given an opportunity, citing Assam and Tripura as examples of states where the party has built its governance pitch.
Dev also responded sharply to TMC MP Mahua Moitra. She claimed Moitra’s biggest problem was that no other party wanted to take her, which is why she remained with the TMC. Dev further said that if TMC leaders were themselves speaking about “purification” within the party, it showed they also accepted that serious problems existed inside the organisation.
Who is Prakash Chik Baraik?
Prakash Chik Baraik was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal as a Trinamool Congress nominee. He studied commerce at Surya Sen College in Siliguri and represented the party in the Upper House before resigning and joining the BJP. Compared with Dev and Ray, he has maintained a lower national profile.
Baraik’s political relevance lies in his association with north Bengal, a region where the BJP has worked to consolidate support over the past several elections. North Bengal has often voted differently from south Bengal, and parties give close attention to community networks, tea garden workers, tribal communities and local leadership structures in this region.
No detailed political statement from Baraik was immediately available in the given announcement. Even so, his move is being read as another symbolic setback for the TMC because it involves a sitting Rajya Sabha member leaving the party before joining its main rival in the state.
Who is Sukhendu Sekhar Ray?
Sukhendu Sekhar Ray is the senior-most leader among the three and has long been associated with Bengal’s parliamentary politics. Born in 1949, he had been going to the Rajya Sabha on a TMC ticket since 2011. Within the party, he was seen as an experienced voice and was known for his long legislative career.
After joining the BJP, Ray made serious allegations about pressure and intimidation following the RG Kar Medical College incident. He said he was the only MP who openly demanded the arrest and questioning of the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the medical college principal after the case triggered public outrage.
Ray claimed that after he spoke out, Kolkata Police summoned him twice on the same day. He said he had to approach the High Court despite being unwell. He also alleged that he and his family had received threats of murder and kidnapping over several months. These allegations are likely to become part of the BJP’s campaign against the state government.
The TMC has faced repeated attacks from the BJP over the law-and-order situation in Bengal. Ray’s allegations give the opposition another insider account to use politically. At the same time, the impact of such claims will depend on documentary evidence, legal proceedings and how the ruling party responds to them.
Will this change Bengal’s political equation?
The induction of Dev, Baraik and Ray gives the BJP a morale boost and helps it project momentum. It also creates pressure on the TMC to explain why three former Rajya Sabha members left in quick succession. In a state where political messaging matters deeply, the optics of senior exits can influence campaign narratives.
Still, Bengal’s political contests are decided by booth-level organisation, caste and community alignments, welfare delivery, local leadership and the credibility of candidates. The BJP will try to use these defections to widen its appeal, while the TMC is expected to frame them as opportunistic exits. The real test will be whether this shift translates into organisational gains on the ground.
